


Sherlock’s Personality: Submissive or Dominant?

by inevitably_johnlocked



Series: I-J's Sherlock Meta Series [14]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Meta, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock's Character Arc, TJLC | The Johnlock Conspiracy, Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-26 14:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5007646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inevitably_johnlocked/pseuds/inevitably_johnlocked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I received an ask questioning how I read Sherlock’s personality. My opinion changed after S3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sherlock’s Personality: Submissive or Dominant?

**Author's Note:**

> **_FIRST PUBLISHED APRIL 9/15_**  
>  Original Meta can be found at my blog here: [Sherlock’s Personality: Submissive or Dominant? ](http://inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.com/post/115938679005/hi-there-heres-a-really-weird-question-do-you)  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
> I love Sherlock's character arc, and how much he has changed based on the POV we see the story told from.
> 
> * * *

> Anonymous asked:  
>  **Hi there, here's a really weird question, do you consider Sherlock as a dominant or submissive person?as in personality not sexually since the latter is hard to know O_o (hope you understand this Idk if I asked it right cuz my English is terrible)**

Hey Nonny! Not weird at all, and I totally understand what you mean! 

Ah, I’m so pleased you asked me about Sherlock because it’s going to give me a break from writing about John… and I relate better to Sherlock because he is SO easy to read. The man is a bloody open book when he’s not faking being aloof. 

That and I have a strange obsession with psychoanalizing fictional characters. :p 

Honestly, if you asked me this pre-season three before I began picking apart these episodes piece by piece, I think I would have answered a more “dominant” personality: he seems to always know what’s going on, always has a plan, doesn’t seem to need anyone… The man exudes an air of confidence and cold detachment. 

But, as we all know, this **surface reading** is _SUCH_ a façade… for the most part at least. 

Post-season three, we see a _LOT_ more of a quieter Sherlock, so much so that he’s kinder to everyone he associates with _(including ANDERSON, of all people)_ , tries to remember first names, and gives John his space when he needs it. 

With S3 in mind, go back and watch all of the seasons again, and you will notice something interesting. Can you see what it is? It shouldn’t surprise you, given the content of my meta! 

**JOHN.** Sherlock basically will bend over backwards (no pun intended) to accommodate John and his needs: 

  * **_Got a limp and a boring life?_** No worries, John, I’ll just take you on a spontaneous chase across greater London, then I’ll let you shoot a cabbie for me.
  * **_Need money?_** No problem, John, I’ll just take this case from a former friend / asshat and get you some money. Please don’t go to work, because look, I can get us money, no problem. Stop dating that woman, please.
  * **_Strapped to semtex?_** Well, shit, here evil douche, take this stupid code I didn’t want it anyway! John, are you okay, Jesus H Christ damnit I have a heart.
  * **_Gun to your head and a line of code to decipher?_** Jesus, Woman, tell me the safe’s code – okay good _(vatican cameos, by the way!)_ and here, I’ll decipher the code in 5 seconds just to see John gawk at me. Where’s John? I was just talking to him.
  * **_Crazy dude threatening to kill you if I don’t kill myself?_** Well, shit, John. I’ll go on exile for a couple years and destroy his entire crime syndicate just so that I know you will be safe _(and I SUPPOSE for my surrogate Mum and Papa too)._
  * **_It’s your birthday?_** Sure, John, I’ll make a little video to wish you many happy returns, but I need to compose myself, and all your friends hate you except me, so… why are you going out?
  * **_Pissed at me for lying, then thrown into a bonfire?_** Don’t worry, John, I’ll step aside and give you some time, but holy crap, let me throw myself into this fire without hesitation first to save you. I’ll lie to you later on to get your forgiveness, but the tears will be real because _WHY DON’T YOU LIKE ME ANYMORE?_ Oh good, we’re friends again.
  * **_Getting married?_** Here, John, let me plan your entire wedding when it should be Janine’s job, and even though I’m pining so hard for you, I’ll step aside and watch you walk away with a woman that something seems off about, but you’re happy, so I’m happy… yes. Happy happy happy. Oh, and I’m going to [tell the whole reception that I love you, but just as friends](http://inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.com/post/103319251390/love-by-proxy-why-marys-good-for-johnlock), okay? And I’ll make a vow for you and your unborn child. Because why not? I need some drugs.
  * **_Blackmailed and lied to?_** Here, John, I’ll expose your wife for who she really is, but please don’t be angry at her because ~~_we need to keep an eye on her_~~ reasons and I’ll shoot a creeper in the head because he flicked you in the face _(seems like fair retribution to me)_ at the cost of being exiled from you forever. Oh, and Sherlock’s really a girl’s name. 



There are certainly hundreds more, but you get my point. 

As I am wont to do, I tend to answer these asks in a very roundabout way. **So… do I think Sherlock’s a dom or a sub personality?** Well… while he has traits of both, I think he’s more submissive when looking at the series as a whole. I think before he became who he is now, he was submissive, especially towards people he may have once had close relationships with _(which is why I think there’s something “not said” in canon about his relationship to Sebastian in_ TBB _… Sherlock COMPLETELY submits to Seb’s taunting and trying to embarrass Sherlock in front of his new friend. He seems to shrink into himself, then lies just to not have Seb belittle him anymore, but that’s a whole other meta I need to write…)_. But as a defence mechanism, Sherlock built up his confident exterior to focus on casework and to keep people away from him _(I talk a little more about[Sherlock’s self-confidence issues here](http://inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.com/post/109026531040/i-was-thinking-about-how-sherlock-overheard-irene), if you’re interested in my expansion on it)_. This is especially true when it pertains to John, as I cited in the examples above. Sherlock’s motto is literally _“It’s you [John Watson]”_. On the surface, though, we see more of his submissive nature in S3 simply because Sherlock realizes what his exile has done to those very people that he left to protect – he has learned that he actually means something to people, that he is loved and that he also can love in return – so he drops a lot of his falsities. A common thread I’ve also noticed is that in John’s presence he also tends to over-exaggerate his dominant traits… all in a ruse to impress John, which is one of those misunderstandings I’m always going on about: John responds positively, ergo Sherlock thinks this is what John wants. But also notice how Sherlock reacts whenever John is upset with him: sometimes he’s stroppy, but he seems to be more reserved and keeps a bit to himself and waits until John comes back to him. _Always, John Watson._

A submissive personality doesn’t mean Sherlock’s weak, not at all. He definitely has the traits that dominant people possess, but like I said, these are things that many submissive people spend a lot of their lives working on. [I also talk a bit about Sherlock’s personality type here](http://inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.com/post/107146468590/are-you-familiar-with-mbti-personality-typing-if). 

Hope I’ve helped answer your question! I’m interested for others to add their 2¢ or point out things I’ve missed, because I most certainly did :p


End file.
